An Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whale explodes out of the water from our stern wake! This pod of ETPs has developed a unique habit known as “stern wake riding,” where they actively seek out boats moving at a moderate speed just to surf the waves. It’s a learned behavior shared within this specific group, and not something all orcas do. For 99% of orca interactions in California, it’s much better to stay off to the side of the pod at a slow speed and a bit of a distance…but this group actually goes out of its way to target boats that are already moving at higher speeds in order the play in the waves. Our boat did not run on top of them to create this interaction, rather the second they saw us moving away they bolted for our stern! The safest thing to do for the orcas(and for us), is to not do something unpredictable like changing course or speed until the orcas have had their fun and move on. This moment inspired a deeper dive on my YouTube channel of this behavior and more, where I explore how orcas across the world have different cultures, behaviors, and even short-lived fads. I connect this to the now infamous orca/sailboat/rudder interactions off Spain’s coast, and explain why those events aren’t “attacks,” but part of a passing behavioral trend within one distinct orca population. I also touch on the harm caused by sensational headlines used in news stories about Killer Whales, and why language matters when it comes to protecting these animals. Watch the full video now on my YouTube!

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1 days ago

The grandest mother of them all! Happy Mother’s Day from myself and the entire Gone Watching Team!

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8 days ago

Never once has someone gone whale watching and thought to themselves “what a colossal waste of tax dollars!” It took the effort of an entire globe of people united to bring the great whales back from the brink of extinction at the end of the 20th century. Today, it’s hard to imagine a group of people united to agree on just about anything…but as the temptation to wallow in the current state of humanity grows ever stronger, I am also reminded at what a remarkably unifying force whale watching can be. Since I began taking guests out whale watching with @gonewhalewatching in 2019, I’ve been amazed at the impact experiencing these animals in the wild can have on people from all walks of life. We saw over 10,000 guests last year, including people from all over the globe. We’ve hosted men and women, young and old, liberal and conservative, black and white, and everything in between…and there’s one undeniable constant: nearly everyone is profoundly impacted by the experience of seeing these animals in the wild. I am steadfastly confident that protecting their ocean home is an issue we can all agree on. Not all government is bad, and a government that protects our wildfire and monitors the state of our oceans is in the best interest of not only all Americans, but of humanity as a whole. We must once again stand united as a people and proclaim that we will not accept a world without whales.

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13 days ago

Becoming one with the pod thanks to the “Vapor”, an underwater scooter from @subluetech! I’ve always wanted to try out one of these underwater scooters, and recently I was given that opportunity. The only problem was the water around San Diego was very green this spring, so I knew we needed to get way offshore to have a chance for some blue water! Thanks to an optimal weather window last week, we made it over 50 miles offshore, all the way out in international waters, where the water was incredibly blue! It takes a lot to get me to jump into 59 degree water, but a chance to try out this scooter in such clear water was irresistible. During the first test run I couldn’t believe how FUN this thing was! My inner child was grinning from ear to ear! If that wasn’t enough, I was then joined by a giant pod of bottlenose dolphins! The dolphins treated me almost as if I was a boat: “bowriding” the front of the scooter and seemingly inviting me to join their pod! I doubt they’ve experienced many humans that can keep up with them underwater at 10km/hr! I can’t wait for this summer when the local waters clear up(and warm up) a bit so I can use the Vapor to explore the kelp forests and beyond! #Dolphins #vapor #UnderwaterScooter #California #Sponsored

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15 days ago

Orcas riding the bow like the big dolphins they are! It’s been awhile since I’ve seen the famous pod of ETP Killer Whales that visits San Diego from time to time. Today I woke up to yet another much to early incidence of “May Grey”, and those gloomy skies reminded me of the last time @erica.sackrison and I hung out with this very special pod of killer whales near the end of last year. One thing I really love about being based in San Diego is that it’s possible to encounter just about any species of dolphin or whale you can imagine that resides in the Pacific! Aboard @gonewhalewatching

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26 days ago

Join us in Maui in 2026! Now that we’re a few weeks removed from our amazing 2025 5-Day Maui Experience, it’s time to start thinking about 2026! Last season was our first time partnering with @maui_ocean_adventures as our host company, and our two weeks of trips could not have gone better! We experienced hundreds of Humpback Whales and witnessed every behavior imaginable in near perfect weather every day! It’s hard to overstate just how special these trips are, but if you’ve ever dreamed of witnessing whales jumping out of the water, or having a 40 ton Humpback be inches from your fingertips…then this trip is for you! Here are some quick trip details: We are officially taking bookings for week one which will take place from January 27 – 31, 2026. These dates are chosen specifically to target the absolute peak of the season with the highest frequency of friendly whales! What’s Included: -Welcome dinner on 1/27 with unlimited food and drinks (including alcohol) -Over 20 hours of world-class whale watching with our private group -Extended daily excursions to maximize sightings (banana bread & drinks provided) -Opportunity for a “blue water swim” mid-channel to hear whales singing underwater -Highlight video of the experience, created by the Gone Whale Watching team -Photo & video coaching from our professional wildlife filmmakers and photographers, including: Domenic Biagini (Blue Planet III, The Americas, Big Beasts, Oceans with David Attenborough, San Diego: America’s Wildest City, and more) Kyle Christensen (The Americas, Collision) Erica Sackrison (The Americas, San Diego: America’s Wildest City) -Complimentary 2.5-hour signature whale watching tour in San Diego with @gonewhalewatching For more information and to make a deposit to sign up for our 2026 trip please email info@gonewhalewatching.com Amazing video from the 2025 season by Captain Emma! @emmajean__17

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28 days ago

Moments like this remind me of how I got started in this crazy ocean world. When I first began working in the whale watching industry, I simply could not get enough of being on the water. On my days off, I’d take my small personal boat as far offshore as I dared in hopes of encountering these amazing animals without the confines of a big slow whale watching boat. After countless hours alone on the water with just myself and my favorite animals, I realized this was the way whale watching was meant to be! I remembering thinking to myself that if I ever started a whale watching company, I’d make sure we only used boats that could cover the type of ground necessary to always give our guests the best chance to experience wildlife in its purest form…and ideally away from all of the other tour boats that simply crowd the same animals that are closest to shore for simplicity’s sake. It still amazes me that @gonewhalewatching has grown into the company that it is today: complete with a crew that feels more like family than employees. Our guests know that whale watching isn’t just a job for our team. We all genuinely love these animals and are determined to be ambassadors for them while we are in their home. By using boats that can get away from the crowds, we are able to view wildlife in a setting that is both sustainable and rewarding. There is no better reminder of just how rewarding this approach can be then when two giant 40 ton animals feel comfortable enough to stop by and check out the tiny human(s) that are visiting them in their ocean home. It’s been a spring full of variety, with Humpback, Fin, and Gray Whales all being seen almost daily…and the closer we get to May, the closer we are to the first mighty Blue Whales making their grand entrance! We hope to see you on the water soon!

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04-18

The biggest arms of any mammal: a Humpback Whale’s pectoral flippers! Some fun facts about Humpback flippers 👇🏻 1. They’re Huge: Humpback whales have the longest pectoral flippers of any whale species — their flippers can grow up to one-third of their body length. That’s often around 12–15 feet (4–5 meters) long! 2. They’re Bumpy: Unlike the smooth fins of most animals, humpback flippers have bumps (called tubercles) on the leading edge. These tubercles actually help the whales be more agile by reducing drag and increasing lift, much like the design of some aircraft wings and wind turbines! 3. They Help with Acrobatics: Humpbacks are some of the most acrobatic whales, known for their huge breaches and slapping displays. Their long, powerful flippers are key to their ability to turn sharply, roll, and even “fly” through the water with surprising grace. 4. They’re Colorful: Depending on where a humpback whale lives, its flippers might be different colors. For example, humpbacks in the Southern Hemisphere often have mostly white flippers, while Northern Hemisphere humpbacks tend to have more black and white mixed patterns. This shot was taken about a month ago during our annual 5-day whale watching experience in Maui with @gonewhalewatching aboard our partner company @maui_ocean_adventures. During peak Humpback season in late January through February it is SUPER common to see Humpbacks raising their giant flippers into the air in order to draw attention to themselves! We are taking pre-bookings for our 2026 5-day experience and if you want a chance to book at a special rate before we hard launch opening our bookings to the general public please reach out to us by emailing info@gonewhalewatching.com We’ll be announcing the dates for next year and officially opening bookings in the coming days!

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04-13

Did you know that San Diego is arguably the best place in the world to see Blue Whales?! It’s not an exaggeration, few accessible places on earth have had the consistent volume of whales and the reliability of sightings as San Diego during the early to mid-summer this decade. When I first began navigating San Diego’s coastal waters, I quickly realized just how much ocean wasn’t being explored by the local whale watching community. It soon became apparent that these whales were visiting in much greater numbers than most people realized…as long as you had boats willing to go the distance! With that in mind I really wanted to create a whale watching experience that focused on connecting as many people from the general public with these animals as possible. There’s nothing that compares to experiencing this sort of wildlife in person, and the more people that feel that connection to nature, the better chance we have at changing attitudes about conservation for the future! So that’s why here at @gonewhalewatching we’re willing to cover more ground on traditional length 2.5 hour whale watching trips than any other company in the area. Last summer it wasn’t unusual to travel more than 25 miles one way on the 2.5 hour trips if that’s what it took to find the whales. For the more adventurous whale watchers, our extended tours had no cap on time or distance, resulting in some of the best Blue Whale encounters in the world! Our Blue Whale season in San Diego does fluctuate a bit from year to year. A traditional season is mid to late May through July. Some years like last summer the season can be off to the races as early as May 1st and run through early August. Other years like 2022 the season could last until early September! The main sweet spot since 2018 has been a peak in early to mid-June, and then a gradual decrease through the end of July. The later part of the summer then tends to be a little more up and down. With all of that said, our prime dates for extended Blue Whale Tours continue to sell out quickly, so if you want one of those long range trips this summer I can not stress enough how much you need to get your trip booked now!

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